Birthday Wishes
Children need stability. It affects their health, their ability to learn, their overall wellbeing. Research shows:
- Homeless children experience more developmental delays, emotional problems such as anxiety and depression, and behavioral issues than children in stable homes.
- 41 percent of homeless children will attend 2 different schools in one year. 28 percent will attend 3 or more schools in one year.
- On average, homeless children are set back academically 4-6 months with each change of school.
Through a partnership between United Way and Birthday Wishes, you can help bring homeless children a sense of stability in times of crisis. Recognizing the importance of a birthday in a child's life, the Birthday Wishes program brings volunteers together to throw birthday parties for children experiencing homelessness. Our hope is that through the dedication and contributions of volunteers, homeless children can feel a sense of normalcy, joy and hope amid uncertainty for at least one day.
Contact Mollie to learn more or get involved.
In addition to providing stability for children in shelters, United Way is working to keep families in crisis from ever experiencing homelessness, through an innovative approach called Housing First. Housing First places families who have lost their homes in permanent housing as an immediate first step, before they ever have to enter a shelters. Learn more.
